The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-07
WOISELEY sQUgLCHRD.
tsar,mnln FRoR ILRSrpAGKl

drayal from the Union and their es-
OF an Independent repub.
lie, under the title Of The Oonfeder.
ate States OF America This dsclsra- \
ton OF Independence was in reality q |
revolution. War alone could ever
again bring all the States together"
And sgAin that Sin April, 1861, at Fort
Sumter. Charleston harbor, the frst
shot was fred In war that was only
ended in April, 1866" l.
Further, he states, that Virginia, In
April, 1851, formally withdrew from
the Uaion, that Gen. Lee thereupon
resigned his commission In the United
States army with the intention Of retir
ing 70 private life, and he correctly
adds:
'TheState Of Virginia appointed him major
general and commander In chief Of her mill
tary forces. In open and crowded conven-
tion be formally accepted this position, say
Ing With dsn b ard Ss sriSs n %sassI tnas
In Almishty God, an approving c?nscienes,
and the aid Of my fellow citissns.' q
And,then, inIdisregaId OF chronology
and his own statement, he announces:
''From the FIRST, Leo anticipated a long
and bloody struggle, although from the bonn
bastio oratorg OF self elected politicians, 40
patriots, the people were led 10 believe that
The whole business would be settled In few
weeks. This folly led 10 n serious evil,
namely, the enlistment Of soldiers for only
ninety days. Lce, Who understood war.
pleaded 10 favor Of the engagement being
fer the term. Of the war, but he pleaded in
politician insisted on the officers being elect
I'd By their men. This was y point which,
In describing TO mo the. constitution OF his
army, Leo most deplored'
In February, 1861, the Confederacy
was organized. An army had been
raised aud q fort had been captured
before Virginia seeded, the event
which caused Gen. Leo TO leave the
United States army. He was in no
condition, therefore, to use his great
influence with regard to the term for
which Confederate soldiers should be
enlisted, and the final fact Ia that
there WAS no law for the enlistment for
the Confederate army OF men for
NINETY days, twelve months, or the
expiration OF the war, being the short
est period fixed by the Provisional
Government OF the Confederate States,
though volunteers we're sometimes &C.
seeted by generals for temporary SER
vics and a shorter period than that re-
quired by the law. II may DO as we'll
In passing to correct the misuse OF the
term "levolution," as applied to the
action OF the Southern States.
They had long established govern
nnente, having control OF ali natter
of property, life and person from thu
cradle to the grave, and laws and
modes Of procedure remained undis
turbed by their withdrawal from tn,
Union. This could not have been II {
revolution had occurred for which wa
vas the only remedy, and this h
might have learned from the efforts o
the peace Congress, as well as from
the published proceedings OF the com
mission sent by the Confederate Gov
eminent TO the United States befor,
hostilties had commenced.
The assertion that Lee most de
plored the election OF officers by tn,
msn they were to command must ex
cite surprise among those who knew
Lac best, and also the manner II
which our army was raised. The
citizens OF the several States volun
teered to defend their homes and in
herited rights. Under the laws OF the
Confederate Government they were Il
be received into the general service
by companies, bsttalions or regi
naents, as organised under State au
thoiity, and 10 be formed by the Con
federste authorities into brigades, Ill
visions aud corps d'armle as occasion
Required, the general officers TO be ap
-vuAaI h., Aha nAnfalaraNa Hnuawn
ment. II is TO be borne in mind tina
the troops were drawn from the pur
suits OF civil life. Who 30 capable II
Judge OF fitness to command com
pany, battalion or a regiment rs tn,
men composing it2 The higher officer
uaisht be wisely selected from men O
established military reputation, o
from those whoi in service should mar
iieet extraordinary ability, aud the az
pointments Of the generals to con
mand the troops furnished by til
Htates was conceded to the Confede
ate Government. II the power to al
point the officers had been conferre
upon the general commanding a
army We might have had a syste
pref rable to Gen. Wolseley, but v
should not have had tho armies who
glory will grow brighter AZ their hi
Tory becomes better known.
To one possessing less than &c
Lees foresight and knowledge of Il
Northern people, "a long aud bloc,
struggle" must have been anticipat,
before they would consent 10 let &
South u, but OF those who, relying
the constitutional right Of State
withdraw from league it rad volu
tarily entered when 1t ceased to a
.swer the end for which II was ests
lished, milder terms would seem me
Justly 10 describe their expectation
q speedy settlement than such
"bombastic oratory OF self elected pc
ticisns apd patriots"
No more than justice ia done Gf
Lee In describing him when co
maDder In chief Of the army OF Y
ginia, and subsequently, in the cal
part OF his service, when General
the Coniederacy, as working assiduol
ly and wisely to give efficiency a
cohesion 10 our improvised armi
HE sterling merit was unscsthed a
his Cquanimity undisturhed by /
iears d jibes OF Ignorance or mali,
and his fame was too solid to requi
such fiction as the following
strengthen 1t:
"The formation Of an army with the mo
aloe Q at his disposal was colossal tai
Everything had to DO created By this ext
ordinAry man, In about two mon
he hsd created little army Of 80. 900 IN,
animated by n lofty patriotism and oouTi
thai made thom uncomfortable by \ sit
larry constituted army. In another moi
Mis- army at Bul's Run gained = compl
victory over the Northern invaders, v
we're driven back across the Potomac l
herds Of frightened sheep"
Gen. Woseley has previously sho
that he knew Confederate troops b
been assembled at Charleston, and h
reduced the United States fort at ii
ace He might have learned, II
did not, tina, Confederate batteries b
prevented the enemy's vessel from
tering the harbor at Oharl eston, q
shat, when V rgioiR was first threats
ed, Gen. Bonham's fully organized |
Rade had been sent from South Ca
lima to aid in the defense of Virgin
and that in the first battle Of NJ anass
or rs he and the Northern people "